So You Want A Keyboard?Portable Keyboards - Part 1 of 5

For musicians of all skills and ages, choosing an instrument is an important process that can be confusing if you don't have enough information, and overwhelming if you don't have the RIGHT information. And with all of the options on the market now, choosing a keyboard is no exception. This post won't spit out the answer for you (that'd be too easy, right?), but my hope is that this will help get your shopping started!

Just like every industry, there's some lingo that you'll need to understand. While each manufacturer might describe their product a little differently, but there are some terms that are used across the board that will be helpful to know. That's what this series is all about.

Most keyboards are split into 6 main categories: portable keyboards, digital pianos, synthesizers, workstations/arrangers, and stage pianos. Each part in this series will help describe what each product is about. For starters, we'll be talking about Portable Keyboards.

These are (in most cases) for the beginner, or traveler who isn't concerned with sound quality as much as they are size, weight and just simply need a practice instrument. A popular choice for kids and school piano labs, these will likely run on batteries as well as AC. Known for being very light weight, portable keyboards will almost always come in 49 or 61 keys (with the occasional 73 key option) and will be non-weighted. This means that the keyboard will have a simple plastic key with a spring design that triggers a contact inside; in other words, they don't feel like a real piano. PK's will usually include a large variety of basic sounds and drum patters to play with, and even some accompaniment features, which enables the player to create a "full band sound", similar to a karaoke track. On-board speakers and a headphone output for private use is standard.

Manufacturer's such as Yamaha and Casio are among the most popular, and you can find products starting at as little as $99. Be cautious- since most portable keyboards allow you to run on batteries, some do not ship with power supplies included. Depending on the power requirements, this could be an additional $25 expense. They almost never include stands or legs, so you'll need to plan on getting one of those as well.

We realize that there are SO many options out there. So if you have concerns or questions, give us a call and we'd be happy to help. Stay tuned for part 2: Digital Pianos!